The Lady or the Tiger
by E-A-Tetje
Summary: finishing the story of The Lady or the Tiger in a different way than the original author... PLEASE READ AND REVIEW


Loving Fate  
  
Although confidence appeared in his stride the young man's heart riveted with fear and anticipation. In the crowd behind him the princess rose swiftly from her seat. She turned to flee from the arena but her father caught her arm.  
"To where might you be going?" the king whispered angrily.  
"I cannot bear to wait and watch my lover come to either fate any longer!" her voice trembled as she approached panic. The princess broke away from her father's grasp and bolted away out of the stadium before he could stop her. Tears welled up in her deep brown eyes as she combed through her mind trying to remember which passage she should take. She had a plan and needed to act quickly in order to save her beloved one. Time  
  
seemed to whiz by, soon her lover would come to his fate if any slight thing caused delay in the action of her plan. She turned and flew through the left passage. It seemed to go on forever...  
Meanwhile, in the stadium her lover hesitated outside of the right- hand door debating with himself whether or not to go with the princess's decision. He turned, walked a few strides to the left and raised his hand to the latch. Panic rose in his heart, his mind spun with the stress of the moment. He reeled around to gaze upon his dearest once more, but to his astonishment she no longer sat in her place. Wonder then filled his mind, did she have a  
  
plan that would turn the pain of separation into some form of joy, or had she fled because she could not bear to stay and watch him come to the fate she had chosen? He bowed to the king as a cover for his searching eyes. Hope had rekindled in his heart, bravery returned to his being. Once again he turned and paced to the right door. Filled with trust and hope once more he  
  
stalled to give his sweetheart more time. The audience restlessly shifted in the stadium around him. Anticipation grew to fear and, in some, annoyance. Shouts of, "Get on with it!" and, "Hurry up" poured from the impatient onlookers along with a few calls of, "Give him time, these may be his last  
  
breaths!"  
Back in the hallways, the princess continued to race towards the fateful chambers. She knew which chamber held the lady and which held the tiger. Soon she reached her secret stash of supplies, a rope to bind the hands of the hated maiden of the right-hand chamber and a veil to hide her beautiful face from all but her youthful lover. She rushed on thinking of what to say to the woman. Upon reaching the 'secret' passage to the chambers, the princess checked to be sure she had no pursuers then dodged into the passage and turned to the right chamber. Opening the door she spoke to the despicable woman hurriedly.  
"I know you were chosen by my father to be my lover's reward of innocence but in that he made a great error. I am to be the graceful beauty that swoons out of the door if my lover opens it. My father has agreed that  
  
should my lover open the door of the woman then he deserves to be united with the one that he truly loves. By order of my father you must leave the chamber and allow me to remain and wait for fate to be known to all." She spoke smoothly and lied inconspicuously, "I have been given permission to bind your hands and toss you to the tigers if you do not allow me to carry out my fathers orders!" A menacing tone that sent shivers down the spine had come into her voice causing the young maiden to willingly do as the princess told her. The maiden exited and the princess quickly draped her veil in place. She had acted none too soon, for as the door to the passage was closed the arena door opened.  
There before her stood her astonished lover as handsome as a freshly  
  
galloped stallion. Quickly and passionately, the youths ran to meet each other as the wedding song began to rise joyously. Sturdy and strong, the love of the young couple cast away all hatred and resentment that remained in the king's heart. Love cast away pain, sorrow, grief and old grudges. Love cured the king of barbarism. Love united a swiftly dividing kingdom, and far from least, love bound the hearts of the princess and the peasant in a life, long lived, and well lived.  
  
E. A. Tetje 


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